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Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)

Description of substance: Colorless to white liquid with a banana-like, fruity odor.

LEL(@151°F): 1.1% (10% LEL(@151°F), 1,100 ppm)

Original (SCP) IDLH: 4,000 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by Patty [1963] that 2,000 ppm was strongly narcotic and 4,800 ppm caused narcosis and death in guinea pigs in 4 to 8 hours [Specht et al. 1940].

Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:

Lethal concentration data:

Species

Reference

LC50

(ppm)

LCLo

(ppm)

Time

Adjusted 0.5-hr

LC (CF)

Derived value

Rat

Clayton & Clayton 1981

-----

4,000

4 hr

8,000 ppm (2.0)

800 ppm

G. pig

Specht et al. 1940

-----

2,000

14.8 hr

6,180 ppm (3.09)

618 ppm

Lethal dose data:

Species

Reference

Route

LD50

(mg/kg)

LDLo

(mg/kg)

Adjusted LD

Derived value

Rat

Smyth et al. 1962

oral

1,670

-----

2,461 ppm

246 ppm

Mouse

Srepel & Akacic 1962

oral

730

-----

1,076 ppm

108 ppm

Other animal data: Exposures to guinea pigs lasting 4-8 hours were irritating to the mucous membranes at 1,500 ppm, strongly narcotic at 2,000 ppm, and caused narcosis and death at 4,800 ppm [Specht et al. 1940].

Human data: None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.

Revised IDLH: 800 ppm

Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for methyl (n-amyl) ketone is 800 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Clayton and Clayton 1981].